In a case that sends ripples through the competitive world of baseball card collecting, two men have pleaded not guilty to charges related to the theft of over $2 million worth of vintage baseball cards from a Best Western hotel in Strongsville. The suspects, identified as Jacob Paxton and Jason Bowling, entered their pleas in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
Paxton, a 27-year-old hotel employee, faces charges of aggravated theft of $1,500,000 or more and tampering with evidence. Meanwhile, 50-year-old Bowling is accused of receiving stolen property. Both men have vehemently denied their involvement in the elaborate heist that has captured the attention of collectors and law enforcement alike.
The elaborate saga unfolded when a FedEx delivery person mistakenly dropped off a package containing 54 priceless vintage baseball cards at the Strongsville hotel on April 17. The package, valued at a staggering $2,123,447, was intended for Memory Lane Inc., a reputable company participating in a sports card conference nearby.
The plot thickened when a representative from Memory Lane Inc. arrived at the hotel the following day to retrieve the valuable package, only to discover it had mysteriously vanished. This puzzling disappearance set off a chain of events that eventually led to a full-fledged police investigation.
Strongsville law enforcement soon honed in on Paxton, who had allegedly intercepted the package and spirited the valuable contents away to Bowling’s residence in Cleveland. A subsequent raid on Bowling’s home on May 23 yielded the recovery of 52 out of the 54 stolen cards, leaving only two elusive treasures still unaccounted for: a 1909 Ramly Walter Johnson card and a 1941 Ted Williams card.
The missing cards, with their rich historical significance and exorbitant value, have since become the focal point of the investigation, prompting authorities to solicit assistance from the public. Individuals with any information regarding the whereabouts of the sought-after baseball cards are urged to reach out to the Strongsville Police department at 440.580.3247, mentioning report #2024-000693.
As the legal proceedings unfold and the search for the missing cards intensifies, the baseball card collecting community watches with bated breath, eager to see how this captivating saga will ultimately unravel.